Months After Govt Passed Law and Opened Nuclear Power Sector For Private Players, Adani Group Makes Entry
New Delhi: Two months after the passing of the Sustainable Harnessing and Advancement of Nuclear Energy for Transforming India (SHANTI) Act, allows private companies to operate nuclear power plants in India, the Adani Group on Thursday (February 12) announced through regulatory filing that it is entering the nuclear power sector, reported The Hindu.
“We wish to inform you that Adani Power Limited (APL) has incorporated a wholly owned subsidiary – Adani Atomic Energy Limited,” the conglomerate said in a notice to the National Stock Exchange of India on February 12.
Passed by both the houses of the Parliament in December last year, the SHANTI Act replaces the Atomic Energy Act. It enables private companies to operate nuclear power plants in India and also allows them to form joint ventures with foreign companies for technology collaboration.
The law also provides licences to private players to build, own, operate or decommission a nuclear power plant or reactor, the fabrication of nuclear fuel including conversion, refining and enrichment of uranium-235 up to such threshold value, or production, use, processing or disposal of other prescribed substance, as may be notified by the Central Government.
Reacting to the Adani Group’s entry in the nuclear power sector, the opposition Congress said that the SHANTI Act was enacted to "benefit the favourite."
“In the last session, the SHANTI Bill was rushed through Parliament to allow private companies to own and operate nuclear power plants. In my speech in the Rajya Sabha, I had said that the SHANTI Bill was being enacted to favour the favourite. Now we now the real meaning of SHANTI SHriman Adani’s Nuclear Tech Initiative,” Congress Rajya Sabha MP and general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh posted on X on Friday (February 13).
The Hindu report said that the newspaper had reached out to Adani Power for more details but did not receive a comment before the time of publication.
While the bill was tabled on December 15, 2025, opposition members had raised objections during the introductory stage.
“Permitting profit seeking private participation in ultra hazardous nuclear activities while simultaneously limiting liability while granting statutory immunities and restricting judicial remedies undermines the state’s non delegable public trust obligations over life, health and the environment,” Congress MP Manish Tewari had said.
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